5G mobile router for those with a bag full of technology
30-second review
Those who work on the move are always challenged with how to connect their devices to local data services, and the more devices you have, the more complicated this can become.
The Acer Connect Enduro M3 aims to solve this problem by providing a dual-channel WiFi access point for the devices to connect to and then accessing mobile data services to connect them to the Internet.
It’s battery-powered, and this device effectively delivers the guts of a mobile phone with a much smaller screen, no apps, but a vSIM solution to connect you to the mobile data network.
As part of the package, 20GB of international data are included, and this amount can be topped up online with an account. Alternatively, there is a fiddly SIM slot, and any mobile Nano-SIM can be used to connect to a specific local service supplier.
The battery is 6500mAh, which doesn’t sound huge by phone standards. However, the majority of phone power is used for screen and processor use, neither of which is an issue with the Enduro M3. That’s sufficient power to be connected throughout a working day.
However, it’s not all plain sailing; a few issues exist.
The first is that at 250g, this is yet another item that weighs as much as a mobile phone. And, if that’s not an issue for you, then why not get an inexpensive, rugged phone with a much larger battery and get a backup phone?
And surely, if you strip down a mobile phone to make it a mobile hotspot, it should be cheaper than a phone? The Acer Connect Enduro M3 is £299.99 in the UK and $546.60 in the USA.Acer Connect Enduro M3: Price and availability
How much does it cost? From £300/$550
When is it out? Now
Where can you get it? Amazon
There appear to be two versions of the Acer Connect Enduro M3, with one including 1GB of international data via SIMO and the one we reviewed with 20. The hardware in each case seems the same, and curiously, in the UK, the 20GB option was cheaper.
The 1GB model costs £390.16, and the 20GB model costs £299.99, both from the Acer store on Amazon.co.uk.
The same 20GB option in the USA costs $546.60 from Amazon.com, making it markedly more expensive for American customers.
Compared to other 5G travel routers, the only one that’s more expensive than this is the Netgear Nighthawk M6. It’s even more than the ZTE MU5120, which has a 10,000mAh battery and can reverse charge your devices.
Value: 3 / 5Acer Connect Enduro M3: SpecsAcer Connect Enduro M3: Design
Phone-like
Robust
Redundant screen
With its little strap attached, the Acer Connect Enduro M3 looks in profile like a small hot water bottle, ironically.
According to Acer, the Enduro M3 is certified to be MIL-STD-810H durable and has IP54 protection against dust and water. The protection should enable it to handle a light rain shower or being dropped onto a sandy beach.
Front and back is a rib-texture pattern on the blue glass reinforced polycarbonate, making it relatively easy to hold. The power button is on the right, and the USB charging port is at the bottom, where you would expect to find them if this were a phone.
Pressing and holding the power button launches the device and immediately makes a WiFi access point available on both 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies.
